CL-65 (CRJ-200) CARGO FIRE BOTTLES TEND TO PARTIALLY DISCHARGE IN HIGH HEAT CONDITIONS. MECHANIC BELIEVES COMPANY DIRECTIVE TO ADDRESS ISSUE IS UNSAFE.

2007-08 · NASA ASRS report 750643

Date: 2007-08 · Aircraft: Regional Jet 200 ER/LR (CRJ200) · Phase: ground

Anomalies: aircraft-equipment-problem-critical|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-far|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-maintenance

Synopsis

CL-65 (CRJ-200) CARGO FIRE BOTTLES TEND TO PARTIALLY DISCHARGE IN HIGH HEAT CONDITIONS. MECHANIC BELIEVES COMPANY DIRECTIVE TO ADDRESS ISSUE IS UNSAFE.

Narrative

FORCED UNDER DURESS OF TERMINATION TO COMPLY WITH THE BELOW STATED UNSAFE MEMO. DURING DAYS OF EXTREME HIGH TEMPERATURES; HEAT BUILDUP IN THE AFT EQUIPMENT BAY ON THE CRJ200 HAS CAUSED CARGO FIRE BOTTLES TO PARTIALLY THERMAL DISCHARGE; THUS CAUSING THE CARGO FIRE BOTTLE LOW EICAS MESSAGE. IN ORDER TO COMBAT THIS PROBLEM WE HAVE RENTED PORTABLE AIR-CONDITIONING UNITS; ALONG WITH GENERATORS; THAT HAVE DUCTS THAT CAN BE PLACED IN THE AFT EQUIPMENT BAY. EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY; MAINTENANCE CONTROL WILL BE TASKED WITH DAILY MONITORING OF THE FLEET ON THE GROUND. IF THE AMBIENT AIR TEMPERATURE REACHES 95 DEGREES AND AN AIRCRAFT (CRJ200 ONLY) IS SITTING ON THE GROUND FOR AN HOUR OR MORE (SCHEDULED OR UNSCHEDULED); MAINTENANCE CONTROL WILL CONTACT THE LEAD TECHNICIAN AND ADVISE HIM THAT THE AIRCRAFT REQUIRES COOLING OF THE AFT EQUIPMENT BAY. MAINTENANCE CONTROL WILL GENERATE AN OUT OF SERVICE INDICATING THAT THE AIRCRAFT REQUIRES COOLING OF THE AFT EQUIPMENT BAY. MAINTENANCE WILL MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO ENSURE THAT THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVES COOLING. THE UNSAFE PRACTICE OF INSTALLING GND AIR CONDITIONING CARTS TO THE AFT EQUIPMENT BAY ON ACFT THAT DO NOT NEED THEM; POTENTIALLY HIDING BLEED AIR LEAKS. COMPLIED WITH THE ABOVE MEMO UNDER THREAT OF TERMINATION IF I DID NOT COMPLY. A CHANGE IN POLICY THAT ALLOWS MANAGEMENT TO FORCE EMPLOYEES INTO PERFORMING ACTIONS THAT ARE UNSAFE USING THREATS OF DISCIPLINE.CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED HE IS IN MAINT CTL AND BELIEVES THE MAINT DIRECTIVE DOES NOT ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF PNEUMATIC BLEED LEAKS. THE OVERHEAT DETECTION SYSTEM FOR HOT BLEED AIR LEAKS MAY NOT BE TRIGGERED BY A BLEED LEAK; BUT; THE CUMULATIVE HEAT BUILD-UP IN THE AFT EQUIPMENT BAY WILL CAUSE A THERMAL DISCHARGE IN THE CARGO FIRE BOTTLES. RPTR ALSO FEELS IF HIS COMPANY WOULD AT LEAST REQUIRE THAT MECHANICS CHECK FOR PNEUMATIC LEAKS BEFORE ATTACHING THE GROUND AIR CONDITIONING CART TO THE ACFT; THIS WOULD SATISFY THE ISSUE OF KNOWN BLEED LEAKS IN THAT COMPARTMENT AREA. THE CARGO FIRE BOTTLES HAVE A VISUAL PRESSURE GAUGE ON EACH BOTTLE; AS WELL AS THE EICAS SYSTEM COCKPIT WARNING FIRE BOTTLE LOW PRESSURE INDICATION.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.

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